LAS CRUCES - The excitement has been building across much of Las Cruces. Residents are breaking out their finest green and gold, or red and blue. They're being true to their school, Mayfield or Las Cruces.

It's rivalry week, and the city's two fiercest foes on the football field face each other at 7 p.m. Friday before a big crowd at Aggie Memorial Stadium.

If you live on the north side of Las Cruces, it's the Mayfield vs. Las Cruces game. If you live on the south side, it's Las Cruces vs. Mayfield.

For the 52nd time in 49 years, the Trojans and Bulldawgs play each other in what has become one of the top high school football rivalries in the nation. The game is about bragging rights for fans, and for the District 3-6A championship for players. The winner of Friday's game also gets a high seed in the upcoming New Mexico high school football playoffs.

With so much at stake, social media became a haven Thursday for fans who began making game predictions.

Alice Villaseñor, a Las Cruces High alumna, was as diplomatic as she could be. But she still showed where her allegiance lies.

"Who cares (who wins), it's going to be an amazing nail-biting game," said Villaseñor, in a post on the Sun-News Facebook page. "But, go Dawgs! May the best team win."

The pep rallies and other shows of spirit have begun. There were bonfires Wednesday night at Las Cruces and Mayfield, followed by pep rallies at both schools Thursday. At Las Cruces High, a powder puff football game was also played Thursday morning.

"It's just a plain ole good time," said Gloria Tellez, a lifelong Trojans supporter. "As soon as the game is over, our family already starts looking forward to next year's, and the year after that. Roll Trojans!"

The big game has taken on a new perspective. Friday's game will also be a focal point of as many as four class reunions, as Mayfield's class of 1995 and Las Cruces' graduating classes of 1975, 1985 and 2005 will reunite.

"It's big game excitement," said Shane Palmer, the 1995 class president at Mayfield, who is now an engineer in Denver. "We're expecting a really good turnout, about 110 people throughout the weekend. That could end up being about one-third of our class."

Steve Ramirez can be reached at 575-541-5452, at sramirez@lcsun-news.com, and on Twitter @SteveRamirez6.

If you go

What: Mayfield Trojans, 6-3 overall vs. Las Cruces Bulldawgs, 7-2

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Aggie Memorial Stadium

Tickets: $6 for adults, $3 for students. Tickets will be sold from 9 a.m. until noon Friday at Mayfield and Las Cruces high schools. Ticket windows at the stadium will open at 5 p.m. A crowd between 22,000 to 25,000 is anticipated.

Who sits where: Las Cruces High is the designated "home" team for Friday's game and its students and fans should sit on the west side of the Aggie Memorial Stadium. Mayfield High School students and fans should sit on the east side.

Weather: Mostly clear, with a temperature near 55 degrees at kickoff. By the end of the game, temperatures are anticipated to be in the mid- to low-40s.

Tailgating: Will be from 4 to 7 p.m. in parking lots near Aggie Memorial Stadium. No alcohol is allowed in tailgate lots or inside the stadium. Grilling is allowed, but not open flames. Vehicles should not block traffic trying to get in or out of lots.

Radio/Internet: The game will be broadcast on KNML-AM 570, and will streamed live at www.lcps.tv